Court Returns 300 Pairs of Panties to Thief

A paroled panty thief and voyeur won his bid for the return of more than 300 undergarments unclaimed by his victims, but a judge ruled that a parole officer will keep the man’s two-way mirror.

Darrell W. Fortner, 42, went to court Thursday to seek the return of panties, bras and body suits he had collected before his arrest. The request was granted by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Charles McGrath.

“He got back in excess of 300 pairs of panties,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Meyers said today. All the undergarments unclaimed by the 12 victims in the case were released to Fortner.

“There was no evidence they were stolen so the court gave them back,” Meyers said. “He presented a formal notice of motion in open court to obtain this underwear.”

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Asked if it was a peculiar request, Meyers said, “It’s not strange to me that Mr. Fortner would (want them back) because I understand he has a panoply of serious mental problems.”

A two-way mirror Fortner had installed in his house so he could videotape his female tenants while they bathed was to be released to Fortner’s parole officer, Meyers said.